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Making a splash in Egypt

I am just back from a fantastic trip scuba diving in the Red Sea, based in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt.

Before I left the UK I gained my PADI Open Water, Advanced and Dry Suit Diver qualifications, practicing in pools and quarries; then I went on to do the PADI Enriched Air (Nitrox) Diver training in Egypt.

Diving in the Red Sea was an incredible experience. The reefs and clear water there are literally teaming with marine life.

On my first day diving (in anything other than a pool or quarry) I ran into this – a 5 metre manta ray. You can dive for weeks and not see one, so I was incredibly lucky. It circled above me and stayed with me for about five minutes. It was so beautiful and graceful.

During the course of my trip I saw two sharks, barracuda, Napoleon fish, eagle and spotted rays, tuna, two Moray eels (one of them HUGE) and hundreds of other species. I also dived to two wrecks, including the world famous Thistlegorm WW2 merchant ship, which was bombed and sunk in 1940.

I had a brilliant holiday. I would recommend it to anyone and am currently planning my next dive holiday!